The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-08-18
-+aEuz,-- -
JEFFERSON DAVIS REPLIES.
Governor Curtin and tho Story of the Pro-
posed Assassination.

JEFFERSON DAVIS REPLIES.
Governor Curtin and tho Story of the Pro-
posed Assassination.
70 the Editor OF the Now York World :
My attention has been called to Il letter
OF cN-Govcrnor Curtin, published i'll the
Horald Of the 18th inst, III regard to an
alleged completely on his part with Il
purpose to assuESlnNtC mo during the
war between the States, and also to II
letter from Wilkesbarrc, Pa, on the
same subject published in the World of
the 18th inst. [ solicit the use of your
columns to mako brief statement Of
the facts, so far as they arc known to mo.
Governor Curtin makes two mistakes
III his letter. First, that / had made
public accusation against him and that /
had alleged that he was to pay 800, 600
to despcrado for my assassination. All
this, based on Il newspaper article pur-
porting to be tho report OF an "intcr-
Wow" held with me for publication by
newspaper correspondent. Such was
not the case. a well-known historian
proposed to write my biography, ana
asked me to give him for that purpose
an account u attempts madc during tho
war to usSaHsinutr nc.
thot nr.uoyr tbot ~, o,in,I,,,', ii,' w.
of wn,r6nm hal lnn, eo,,I -, '3o fn,,,,,
Phllu6"lphln to the effect TINT the gov.
the nrnifrrtinry , nnf,r;nrs e' c",',,,t tio,, n'
condition ti,nt Gr ,rnnIi CIV ~ tio SHuIi' Ui'
and ns.ol.inot, mo- n,,I e e ,',o1r,I l
WIS to receive ns a rnwnrI GIu0 nnN
p,honrh tIn .t4or ,i;I nS, .I,,, ,,,I,,
GoyoTnnr Cu.,;n ,,'nit,"S i ,l,, ;l ,n,l w.
stutnmnnt o{ thn ,I,,tsnnn - ~, il,tn,
md ma thc wr:trr IiI nmt nt,,to Lo,v ~. >
monnv nruniun1 ,y,,.. tn ,o ,.n;.oI / M
not @tfrmnt tn yr,,I,. tL~ o,n;a.in,,
Indeed. II wn, uuitn li,tn,nnV},nt ~ 49,,
whcihrr Il rar,r frun - t,r,, s.cr,t snr,.;n( iD
fund. from t},n ,,riyoIl ,l,,.s.. ,f tl,T ,,',I
crnOr. or vos cGutrilut,I h,, ,ihr,s ,2i,
with like yrni, ~njnrI thr hottIo frnn
afar and cried hovno
The fnonym0us letter ocoriro1 nm inn.
portancc it would not otlrrwisr hoyc
possessed from the j3nt ,hnt ohnnt thl
time of its rccoiDt. whom roinr to nv
residence at the IsunI hour. INV u moi,
crouchiug beside the Iason,rnt wall -,
the puliiig of tic ward fence and lnoEipn
intcntly towards the cate entrance. Ir-
stead Of nrucccdinp 10 thn c,,t, iururd
and went toward tho crorchiuo Grurn
As he was upyroachcd. ne rose. nrd nnI
escaped, the imuortpncn ihug pivcn f.
The anonymous letter induced mo to in.
close it. to the Hon. W. +. Reed. OF
Philndchuhia, with - rruuysE tLut En
would make auch juuuiTy ns to him
might be practicaGlc to discover tha
writer, and TO verify or disprovc tb,
statements.
Governor Curtin's "cmnbntic contra.
diciion" of the accusatinns onoiust him
pertains not TO me. but TO thN yritnr of
the letter, who is unknown 10 mo. md
for whom I have NOT youcbcI
The ayowal Of Governor Curtin oc
zeal to muiIiuiu the government br
honorable warfare, End the denial thn,
he "cYcr ruSOrtcd to such means for thr
conduct Of the war" mark n commend.
able appreciation OF tho obliQutions q.
civilized war, and it i3 q pity that there
should be ANYTHING to interrupt tho r,Ir-
rent of his self -lWudatiou. The letter.
from WiIkcsbarrc, already referred to.
certainly reveals conduct not very differ
cnt from that alleged by the anonymous
lcttcr-writcr. 1t thereby appears that
Governor Curtin received an application.
apparently from the United States war
Department., for the release from the
Pennsylvania prnitcntiary Of dnotorioua
convict, that he might "bo sent over the
lines for specific purpose" On this
and other like representations it appears
that an order was issued by the governor
for the release Of the convict. 1t is not
shown that the governor knew or
thought proper to inquire for what
special service tAo general OF the army
required n convicted criminal; that the
fact that be was to he employed at the
South vas enough to secure compliance
with the application. 70 an average
mlnd intent upon 'honorablo warfare"
thc question would naturally have arisen
i"r VIA: proper dllty with the army can
convict be particularly qualified? In
the @hScnco OF lntormatlon on that point